ASSEMBLY HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE
STATEMENT TO
ASSEMBLY, No. 1017
with committee amendments
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
DATED: MARCH 17, 2021
The Assembly Human Services Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 1017.
New Jersey currently provides several employment programs and opportunities for persons with disabilities. As amended by the committee, this bill requires the Division of Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action in the Civil Service Commission to develop and implement a “Model Employer for Persons with Disabilities” program. The program will develop policies and procedures to increase the number of employees with disabilities working in State agencies. At a minimum, the program will include a review of State agency hiring procedures, placement and advancement opportunities for persons with disabilities, and activities to increase outreach to job openings to persons with disabilities.
As amended by the committee, the division is to prepare and distribute to the to the Governor and the Legislature a biannual report on the “Model Employer for Persons with Disabilities” program. The report is to include, at a minimum, information on government employment patterns for persons with disabilities and any recommendations for legislation the division deems appropriate to effectuate the purposes of the program.
This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2020-2021 session pending technical review. As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.
COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS
The committee amended the bill to make a number of technical changes involving statutory structure and syntax.
The committee amended the bill to replace the name of the program from the “Model Employer for People with Disabilities” program to the “Model Employer for Persons with Disabilities” to maintain consistency with current statutory provisions, and to update the title and synopsis of the bill to reflect this change.